Factory Town

Factory Town is like a lot of other places. It has a day. It has a night. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it shines. It gets hot. It gets cold. People move in. People move out. Business can boom. Business can die. You can get hired. You can get fired. People get born. People get dead. People remember. People forget. Souls are saved. Souls are lost. Factory Town does not go away when you sleep. Sure, you dream. Sometimes you dream of Factory Town. Sometimes you dream of that other place.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Black Backpack

This guy walked into the office today. He's on disabilty. He is always walking by here. Sometimes he stops by and talks. Talks for a few minutes and leaves. Sometimes asks for money. A buck or sometimes just a quarter. He walks everywhere. Use to have a car. An 83 maroon Bonneville. Somebody gave it to him. But he had to sell it. Said he he got $100 for it. I don't think so. Anyway he walks in here and asks me if I ever buy artwork. I said sometimes. Almost never. I am broke. He said have you ever heard of a heechee. I said no. He unzipped his black backpack. Took a red nylon jacket out and laid it on a chair. Then he pulled the heechee out. There was some braided leather, beads, feather and an eagle claw. The leather braids were in a kind of double loop that intertwined. He said that during some kind of ceremony that he goes to across the river on the Rez the loops become seperated without anyone doing anything. Kind of a spiritual thing he said. He said it was a good thing. But it could be used in a bad way. But if you did it you would pay in the end. If you know what I mean. I said you can't sell that. It must mean something to you. He said it was only a material thing. I said yes that is right. Only a thing. He said he had to have $40 for the heechee. I said I was broke. He said well can you give me 50 cents. I gave it to him. He put the heechee and the red nylon jacket back in the black backpack. He said he had to go. He did not want to be late for the lunch at the mission. He said if he was late the other guys would eat all of the apple pie.